Fashion

On Monday the Twitterverse went nuts with the whole Calvin Klein “plus-sized” model debate. Even I had some choice things to say offline. As it was still on my mind when I woke up this morning, I decided it was time to research the matter and delve into the real deal.

We all owe Calvin some apologies.

Let’s talk about the fashion world. Designer outfits are created around a live, in-house skeleton called a “fit-model.” These women are very thin, waif-like, and let’s face it, clothes hang on them as if they were a clothes hanger. Which is what designers want when sending their fashion lines down the runway.

Do I agree with it? No. But it’s how things are done and they’re not going to listen to a fat chick with a serious case of fashion lust.

Model Myla Dalbesio is a size 10. If she were shopping at Target, Old Navy, etc., she’d probably be a size 6 due to sizing discrepancies. She was hired to promote the new range of lingerie with other “normal” sized models. Yes, I said “normal.” It’s in quotes, because we all know my opinion on the human body and that every body is beautiful, no matter what shape, size or color.

I was her size the first time I went on a diet for being “too fat.” I wish I were kidding you. I was also a size 10 at 5’5″ tall, so my height made me look “dumpy,” compared to relatives and friends.

Where did this come from? From Ms. Dalbesio herself. She was recently interviewed by Elle magazine about being in the campaign “I’m in the middle,” she said. “I’m not skinny enough to be with the skinny girls and I’m not large enough to be with the large girls and I haven’t been able to find my place. This [campaign] was such a great feeling.”

Calvin never said she was a plus-sized addition to this campaign. What he did say in a statement was “these images are intended to communicate that our new line is more inclusive and available in several silhouettes in an extensive range of sizes.”

An extensive size of ranges. Who would have thought a designer would want to offer more sizing options to fulfill a need in the clothing market. It’s unheard of.

What she is is a breath of fresh air. A woman other women can relate to as “the average American woman.” While she’s not someone I personally can relate to physically, Ms. Dalbesio shows arms and thighs with more flesh than you’d normally ever see in a standard campaign being ran by a high profile design house. As someone who’s read Vogue since she was 10, and yes, I know the feelings of Anna Wintour where fat people are concerned, I’ve seen the marked changes in the advertorial pieces over the past 32 years or 384 issues.

For me, it’s a return to the day of the SuperModel — Cindy, Naomi, Linda, Christy, Helena, and Claudia. Yes, they were all still very thin and fit sample sizes, but they weren’t the sylphs of today. Sample sizes have decreased due to the increased demand in smaller and smaller sizes. It’s the literal photoshopping of clothing using scissors and poor judgment, meaning the models have to take drastic measures and eat tissues or cotton balls soaked in orange juice (yes, I’m serious) which prevent them from gaining weight, yet they feel full.

People were even more outraged by the photo of her stance in the photo, as if she were sucking her stomach in and trying to make it concave. But was it Calvin Klein demanding this shot? The photographer? Or was it society?

I’m hedging a lot on society at large. Where a woman with thighs that touch, larger breasts and a tiny belly pooch are considered plus-size.

The real problem is not “size zero”. The real problem is that we live in a neurotic, miserable society with a deeply disturbed attitude to food, nurture and consumption, a society which teaches children, and particularly girls, that their growing bodies and normal desires are unacceptable and must be starved away.*

Would I like to see Calvin place a “plus-sized” model in his campaigns? Yes. I want to see every body shape and size embraced. I want my friends who are petite in height to be represented. I want my “normal friends” represented. I want my very naturally thin friends represented. My athletic friends. While I’m at it, I’d also love to see all fashion houses who produce clothing take all of these body shapes into consideration and actually create items that aren’t just their “normal clothes” sized up or down –which doesn’t work.

p.s.

Calvin Klein makes a line of plus-sized fashion. It’s not marketed, because, after all, he is the man who introduced us to Kate Moss and that would go against all the fashion police stands for.

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I love fashion. However, there’s not much in the way of plus-size fashion for bigger gals. I turn to other plus-size bloggers to see what they are wearing and draw inspiration from them. Needless to say, I’ve not been as comfortable in front of the lens, so none my looks are here… yet. I’m slowly working up the nerve, but it takes time, and chutzpah.

One of my favorite spots to curate my favorite plus-size fashion is on Pinterest. It’s just the right spot to house everything, so I can return to it over and over again as I’m staring in my closet wondering what look I want to put together.

Chutzpah noun \ˈhu̇t-spə, ˈḵu̇t-, -(ˌ)spä\ : personal confidence or courage that allows someone to do or say things that may seem shocking to others

After all, what is more shocking in this day and age than a fashionable plus-size woman. For years, we’ve been relegated to the muumuu, horrendous sweat pant outfits, or polyester pants suits. Let me say it and say it now, just because we don’t match societal expectations, we don’t want look bad.

I grew up reading and subscribing to Vogue, and while Anna Wintour might turn her nose up at me, it doesn’t mean I don’t, and can’t, appreciate fashion. Haute Couture, while I’ll never wear it, is an art form I appreciate as much I would a Monet/Manet/Ver Meer/Picasso, etc. The craftspeople who create these works from a sketch, adding thousands of intricate details by hand and spending hundreds of hours are them are truly skilled artisans who are hidden behind a logo and a designer. Yet, there work is there, a skill slowly being lost in today’s fast food style industry clothing. (In one season, toss it the next.)

One day you’ll see me stepping out from behind the camera and in front of it. I’m working on my own personal chutzpah. For now, I wear it as I walk down the street. The next step is to wear it for you. For now, I’ll share some of my favorite plus-size looks by others.

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Earlier this week, Drum and M’Lynn’s home in Steel Magnolias go up for sale, the only thing I’ve been able to think about are Shelby’s wedding colors “blush” and “bashful.” I’ve also had Psychedelic Furs song “Pretty in Pink” stuck in my head as a result. So today, I’m sharing fashion accessories all in pink. In fact, I’m heading to a wedding tomorrow and am rethinking everything I had planned to wear so I can accessorize with pink fashion accessories.

“The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.” ~ Clairee Belcher

I have a lot of pink in my coloring, so the only way I can really pull off this color is by accessorizing or adding it to my home decor. (That is, unless you want me to look like I have a permanent sunburn.) To help me cope with this pink obsession, and pull together some items I’d like to rock with my LBD, I’ve created a fun Polyvore set that’s all about the color pink. It’s definitely fun, feminine, and a little edgy.

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Well-dressed men make my head turn. They also make the head of other men turn, who are wondering where they found what they are wearing. Sartorial enlightenment is on the rise, and I’m not complaining. What do I like for in a well-dressed man? I prefer a suit and tie. When my husband comes home from work, there’s nothing like grabbing his tie and pulling him in for a kiss. It’s ultra sexy and let’s him know how much I desire him, even if only for a brief moment.

But what exactly is a well-dressed man? It’s more than just the way he looks. The clothes must actually be nice to touch, to feel. Because while there are worse things a man can do than buying clothes that don’t feel good, there aren’t too many things that actually are worse than that a man can do to ruin his appearance. Because it will translate into other areas as well because if a man isn’t comfortable with what he’s wearing, he will spend all of his time trying to get comfortable. Which means he’ll be distracted from whatever is he is supposed to be doing.

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Motorcycle style is introducing edgy femininity to fashion this fall. Personally, I’m a big fan of this edgy look. When I was younger, I had a serious crush on Harley-Davidson Motorcycles. These days, I’m less enamoured of the bikes, but am looking forward to borrowing from the moto-style look for a fun evening out with my husband.

Where would I wear this? Where wouldn’t I wear it? Dinner out, work, drinks with friends, and yes, to my Grandmother’s. The soft pleats of the top, combined with the crisp crease of these flat front pants create a feminine line from head to toe. The jewelry and wallet add a slight edge to the outfit, yet don’t cause you to lose femininity. The piece de resistance is the motorcycle jacket and brogues. While the jacket is super fitted, the brogues add a masculine feature to this outfit that help balance the other elements out.

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Meet Lisa

Lisa Frame is an over-achieving Southern gal with a knack for Pinterest and making people laugh. She writes about life, food, culture and travel. Lisa is a very amateur photographer, voracious reader, wanna-be neat freak, and closeted crafter.